Friday, May 29, 2015

A Few More Posts to Katie and Nick

Day 55: In the Quiet and Solitude

I had a meeting late this
afternoon with Bart Lillie and we picked The Old Mine as the spot to meet. I
don't think I've been in there since you quit working there, Katie. I felt
guilty when the manager Kevin said, "I haven't seen you in here in a
while, Dan!" It was no use in trying to explain. He knew that our main
impetus for going there was you. As Bart and I met, John the owner walked in. I
waved and he came over. And guess what the first thing out of his mouth was?

"How are Katie and Nick
doing?"

It took me by surprise, at first.
I mean, Katie, you quit working at The Old Mine almost a year ago…and I was
surprised John even knew you two were hiking the Appalachian Trail. I told him
that we got to talk (and FaceTime) with you yesterday and that you were doing
great. John was genuinely concerned about you and interested in how you were
doing. He explained that you two had come by The Old Mine a couple of weeks
before you left in April and filled him in on what you were about to embark on.
John also told me, "I said to Katie, 'Some time…when you're out there
in the quiet and solitude of the woods…think of me.'" After John said
goodbye and left, I smiled, thinking of his interest in your journey…and the
fact that he really cared. Solomon writes in Proverbs 22:1:

"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be
esteemed is better than silver or gold."

Katie, I know you left The Old
Mine because you weren't making enough "silver or gold", but
it was so good to see that you left a "good name" at The Old
Mine…and it was SO evident in speaking with John tonight. As a dad, I love it
when other people care for my kids (and now my grandkids) like I do…and when
they see their worth and value…and speak to it. That's what John did tonight. I
will also admit my pride. I love telling people what you two are doing. I can't
help it. I'm proud of you…in awe of you…and I enjoy bragging on you.

I guess today's note is just to
let you know that there are a lot of people out there who care for you…who are
cheering you on…and (as John shared) are living vicariously through your
adventure. So, if you get a minute…in the quiet and solitude of the hike…think
about John…because he's thinking about you.

Love,

Dad

Day 56: Chestnut Knob

Not all "Trail Magic"
happens on the trail, I guess.

I started the morning by
exchanging a few messages with Jeff Ingram--a man I went to Milligan College
with a couple of lifetimes ago. Jeff had messaged me on Facebook after reading
a couple of my blog posts to you two. He wanted to let me know that he lives in
Virginia…not far off the Appalachian Trail. He offered his home and shower to
you both, if you needed a break and wanted to clean up. Jeff also offered to
meet you on the trail with some water, a Coke and some Cliff Bars. He wrote me
a few weeks back and being the lousy Facebook correspondent I am…I got back to
him today. I know. I suck. But almost immediately after sending my response to
Jeff's week's old original note…he quickly shot me back a response. I had
informed Jeff that you had just gone through Marion, VA and he wrote:

"They
are close, real close. I will try and go up to the Chestnut Knob shelter this
evening. I might bump into them. I know the trail is long and it is hard to
pinpoint where you are…Don't worry about getting back. I understand. I also
understand my chances of seeing them are slim to none, but the chance is zero
if I don't go…Maybe take some water and a candy bar or something. I will also
take my camera.

Take
care my friend,

Jeff

Jeff sent a follow up message
asking for your trail names (Sunshine and Breeze). Then, throughout the day…I
kept checking Facebook to see if Jeff had any news about meeting up with you. I
was SO hoping you would all connect on Chestnut Ridge. Jeff even posted a
handful of pictures on his FB page of the Chestnut Knob shelter and the
surrounding area. After seeing his pictures, I got even more excited at the
thoughts of you all crossing paths. Then, shortly after I got home I saw this
on Jeff's amongst all the comments on his pictures:

"Took
me about an hour and a half up (rubber legs & concrete feet) and only an
hour coming down. But I am old…"

There was no mention of Sunshine
and Breeze. Still, it was fun thinking about this all day--and mainly because
of Jeff. While Jeff and I knew each other at Milligan, we didn't hang with the
same crowd. Coupled with the fact that I was only there a couple of years, we
haven't seen, heard or thought of each other…until you two took to the AT. As
much as it pains me to admit it, I found myself extolling the virtues of
Facebook again today. It's helped me to keep a lot of folks interested in your
journey informed…and it re-connected me to Jeff Ingram…who has shared some kind
words about my notes to you…and was such an encouragement today. I love that he
took the time…to drive all the way out to the trailhead…and hike the hour and
half up to Chestnut Ridge…just on the off-chance of gifting you with a little
trail magic.

And while you may not have
received any trail magic from Jeff Ingram today…I certainly did. Thanks Jeff!

"Therefore encourage
one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Love,

Dad

(NOTE: After sending Katie and Nick their note that night, Jeff
Ingram posted the following message and picture on Facebook. Thanks Jeff!)

“This is the view into Burkes
Garden, Virginia. Hope Breeze and Summer make their way here and find the
goodie bag I left them. It was left to pick up their spirits.”

Day 57: Brothers and Friends

I'm locked in, so ready or
not…here I come!

I've got a plane ticket to
Washington, DC…arriving on Saturday, June 20th at 12:30PM. I'll take the
Metro from the airport to Union Station…then (around 4PM) I'll take a
train up to Harper's Ferry, WV. The big question is: Will you two be there when
I arrive? When we talked on Memorial Day, you were pretty confident that you'd
be able to make it to Harpers Ferry by June 20th. That's what I'm
banking on! I've been talking to your Uncle Dave too. He's the one that put the
bug in my ear to meet you at Harpers Ferry. Uncle Dave's not sure he's going to
be able to do this. He's going to get back with me, but here's my tentative
plan:

Land in Harpers Ferry around 5PM
on June 20th. Meet up with you two. Hang out. Take you out to eat, then
find a campsite near town. Get up on June 21st and hit the trail.
Hike until we stop. Set up camp. Spend the night, then get up on June
22nd. You'll both continue north…and I'll head south…back into Harpers
Ferry. Then, (hopefully) Uncle Dave will meet me in Harpers Ferry and we'll
spend the night, then get up on June 23rd and do the whole Civil War
thing. There are several battlefields Uncle Dave hasn't been to around that
area. I haven't been to any, so it'll be fun. Then, at 5AM on June 24th,
Uncle Dave will drop me off at the Metro Station in Gaithersburg…and I'll take
the Metro back to the airport and head home. That's the game plan right now.
We'll see if Uncle Dave can pull his end off. I'll let you know. I know it's
going to be quick, but this is about all I can do with your schedule and
everything else I've got on mine. Still, I'm excited! Uncle Dave or not. I'm coming
up on June 20th and flying back on June 24th. In
between…I'm going to meet up with you two!

I really do hope Uncle Dave can
make it. And if you told me 40 years ago that I'd be looking forward to hanging
out with him…I would've called you crazy! You guys know that Uncle Dave and I
went through a real rough patch when we were in our teens…basically all of our
teen years! Then, you move out of the home…you mature…you experience a little
of life and other people…and the next thing you know…you can't wait to see each
other and hang out. Uncle Dave and I got along great as little kids. From about
age 3 until about age 7 or 8 Uncle Dave was my hero. I idolized him. (See Below)

He was my
big brother and he was faster, funnier and seemingly invincible to me during
this time. I followed him around like a shadow and he helped me conquer some of
my earliest fears (snakes, salamanders, bullies, etc.). But one of my earliest
memories was sitting side-by-side with him…at the feet of our favorite
babysitter (Aunt Mary Lou McCracken--a history teacher) learning about Abraham
Lincoln and the Civil War. Aunt Mary Lou would tell us stories about Lincoln
and the Civil War…but especially about that night in Ford Theater when Booth
killed Lincoln. Great stuff for a 4 year old! And at age 4 and 6, Uncle Dave
and I knew more about "Hammer Ham Lincoln" and "John Wilkes
Boof" than we did about Jesus and His disciples! We couldn't say the
Lord's Prayer, but Aunt Mary Lou had us on our way to memorizing The Gettysburg
Address! As we got older, Uncle Dave and I went our separate ways…only to come
back together to collide and fight…then go our separate ways again. It was a
routine that lasted until our early twenties. Over the years…the détente we
lived under melted away into what we have today: genuine love and affection for
each other.

"A
friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17

I know you have both seen this
happen…when a friend of yours goes through a tough time with you…and in the
end…you end up closer to them than a brother or sister. I have a strong feeling
that come September…you will have some new "brothers" and
"sisters" with names like Ambush, Old Drum and Yvonne
Sherpa--brothers and sisters born out of the adversity of the Appalachian
Trail. And some of us live out Proverbs 17:17 in reverse. We start
out as brothers…and then we go through our own civil war…through hell…nearly
kill each other…only to come out on the other side as friends.

I can't wait until June
20th.

Love,

Dad

Day 58: A
Walk in the Woods

You know how
much I love Bill Bryson’s book “A Walk in the Woods”. Well, today I saw
the newly released trailer for the movie. We already talked about this before
you left. We all knew the movie was in production…and we talked about how
there’s no way it’s going to be able to live up to the book. And it’s not one
of those “the book was so much better than the movie” things. It’s more
about two…WAY past their prime…movie stars bastardizing a great book for the
sake of their careers. Bill Bryson could probably be Redford’s son, so there’s
no way the book and the movie could have the same themes. This movie’s probably
going to be another “Baby Boomers beating back the hands of time” flick.

Watching the
trailer this morning…I think I’m right. I couldn’t help but jump at the sight
of Robert Redford! He should have just let himself age with dignity. Instead,
all that nipping and tucking makes him look like a ventriloquists dummy that
walks…or more to the point, hobbles. I mean, he’s as old as Papa…trying to look
like he’s 40. It’s sad. And Nick Nolte? He’s just a fatter version of that
mugshot of his.

But if I’m
being perfectly honest with you…part of what bothers me the most about Redford
in this movie is the “in-my-face” reminder that I’m old too. When I think of
Robert Redford, I like to think of all those great movies of his I love: Butch
Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, Jeremiah Johnson, Three Days of the
Condor, All the President’s Men and The Natural. I want him to be
young again…because I want to be young again. Watching the movie trailer just
sinks the reality home that we’re getting old.

And like I
told you both before you left, you owe to those of us who will never be able to
do what you’re doing. I still might step-hike the Appalachian Trail someday,
but I’ll never thru-hike it, like you’re doing. That ship has sailed. I’m too
old to ever do that now. So, in an effort to revel in your youth…and comfort me
in my age…I’ll share this Proverb from Solomon:

“The glory of young men (and women)
is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.”Proverbs 20:29

All this
aside, I still want to see this movie, but I want to see it with you two. IMDB
shows the release date as: September 2, 2015—basically right after you finish
your hike. As I was watching the trailer this morning I kept seeing real
locales of the AT like Fontana Dam (I think) and I was saying to myself, “Nick
and Katie have been there!” and “I think they’ve been there!” So
while I’m not exactly looking forward to the movie per se…I’m looking forward
to watching it with you…and downloading your experience through the scenes from
the movie.